1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to an embroidery pattern display apparatus, and in particular to such an apparatus that can accept various commands, such as a stop signal, from input means such as a keyboard, at any time even during execution of pattern display data generating operations for generating pattern display data based on embroidery data representing embroidery patterns to be formed by sewing.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, embroidery data consisting of stitch position data representing sewing patterns to be formed by embroidering machines are generally produced by an embroidery data processing apparatus in the form of a computer equipped with a keyboard and a display. The embroidery data thus generated are recorded on a recording medium, such as a floppy disc, such that each set of embroidery data is associated with a corresponding pattern name. The floppy disc is then set in a floppy disc drive mounted in an embroidering machine as needed, and a desired embroidery pattern is formed with the embroidery machine, according to embroidery data of the desired pattern selectively read from the floppy disc. Alternatively, embroidery data is transmitted to an embroidering machine through a connection cable that connects the embroidery data processing apparatus with the embroidering machine, so that an embroidery pattern represented by the embroidery data is formed with the embroidering machine.
In the meantime, the pattern name associated with each set of embroidery data thus generated is often limited by the number of characters and/or the type of characters when it is recorded, and is thus not able to tell exactly what embroidery pattern is represented or expressed by the name. For example, where a plurality of sets of embroidery data related to embroidery patterns of "flower" are prepared, to represent various types of embroidery patterns that slightly differ in the size or number of petals, the appearance or size of branches, and other characteristics, the pattern names given to the respective sets of embroidery data cannot clearly express the characteristics, and are limited to rather simple names, such as "Flower No. 1" and "Flower No. 2".
Accordingly, when a desired embroidery pattern to be supplied for use in embroidering is selected from those stored in the floppy disc set in the embroidery machine, or a desired set of embroidery data to be supplied for use in embroidering is transmitted from the embroidery data processing apparatus to the embroidering machine through the connection cable, the desired embroidery pattern is confirmed on an embroidery pattern display device provided in the embroidery data processing apparatus or embroidering machine.
More specifically, the embroidery pattern display device is requested to display all of a plurality of pattern names stored in the floppy disc, and then display a few embroidery patterns of designated pattern names from which an embroidery pattern to be actually used for embroidering is to be selected. Based on the embroidery data of the designated pattern names, pattern display data are generated wherein dot data "1" represent a multiplicity of needle-drop positions corresponding to multiple pieces of needle-drop data contained in the embroidery data.
Upon completion of generation of a certain set of pattern display data, the corresponding pattern is displayed along with its pattern name in a certain display region of the display. Thus, the plural patterns are successively displayed in respective display regions in the order of completion of the pattern display data. After confirming the displayed patterns, the operator designates or selects a desired pattern name, so as to cause the embroidering machine to form a pattern corresponding to the selected pattern name. In this case, however, the operations to generate pattern display data are dominantly performed as main processing, and therefore any key operation on the keyboard is nullified or made invalid until the pattern display data generating operations for the designated pattern names are completed and the resulting patterns are displayed.
As described above, any key operation on the keyboard is nullified or made invalid until pattern display data of the plurality of pattern names selected from the pattern names listed on the display are completely generated, and all patterns of the generated pattern display data are displayed on the display screen. With this arrangement, even in the case where a desired embroidery pattern is displayed in an early stage during the generation of the pattern display data, the pattern display data generating operations cannot be interrupted midway, and the operator must patiently wait for the last pattern to be generated and displayed. Thus, the known apparatus has a problem of an undesirably low operating efficiency in the pattern recognition/confirmation procedure.